Taking a Train with a Baby!

Looking to find an easier or cheaper way to travel with kids rather than stick them in a car hours? Take a train! Living near an Amtrak station with a direct line to Chicago has been a lifesaver. With family up in that area and so many attractions to offer it is a great day trip or weekend trip option for us. However, I was a little hesitant to start traveling with a baby/toddler, especially one who wants to walk everywhere but isn’t quite steady. Keep reading as I share my must-haves to see how I am able to take the train with a baby! After reading this post check out Amtrak (or local subway/train options) near you!

Taking the train to visit family in Chicago costs me $15-$25 dollars depending on the day I travel with only a 2 hrs 15 mins trip (normally 2.5 hrs drive without construction). Driving would have taken me a full tank of gas, with gas being almost $4 a gallon, I saved quite a bit. This also saved me so much frustration dealing with traffic and construction. Not to mention my child would have had to be stuck in her car seat in the back without entertainment, snacks, or movement. Sitting on the train we were allowed to move, play together, and eat!

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Pack toys! I love these spinner toys that suction to the window. They entertained her for most of the trip.

Pack snacks! My 11-month-old ate almost the entire way there. We love the apple sauce pouches, puffs, and of course cheerios. They are so easy to pack and eat on the go. I put her cheerios in travel cups like these to help contain her mess.

Bring water (or juice)! My daughter is very good at using a straw so we packed this travel cup. It was perfect for holding water (no spills) but the lid covers the straw keeping germs out.

Small Purse /cross-body bag. Using a small cross-body bag is perfect for keeping your wallet, phone, hand sanitizer, cleaning wipes, and other handy items. The last thing you want to do is finally pick out your seat, get your baby situated as the train starts to move then dig through your bag for your phone/ticket for the conductor. Although ours was nice, he only needed to know my last name to search for my ticket on his device. I also like to quickly wipe down the seat, armrests, and trays before letting my child play and eat on them.

Duffel Bag Backpack. We packed all our clothes, stuff, toys, and snacks, or course into a duffel bag backpack to make it easy to carry around. Trying to drag a suitcase while holding a baby would be more difficult. I love this bag from Amazon, perfect for weekend or day trips!

Car seat carrier! This was my lifesaver! Since my grandmother was picking us up from the train, we needed to take the car seat with us. This is what usually stops people with smaller children from looking at alternative options to driving. I loved this carrier from Amazon. It was inexpensive but very easy to use (plus it folds up for easy storage)! You set your car seat on it, strap it down, and wheel it away. The conductor carried it up and down the stairs for us and there was a luggage storage space at the back of each car perfect for this.

Let me know what you think about my experience. Have you ever traveled by train or thinking about going somewhere soon? If you would like help booking or getting started let me know, I am a licensed travel agent that can help!